UPSC Prelims · Cutoff
UPSC Prelims cutoff: expected score and rank bands
No official UPSC Prelims cutoff is published on Shishya yet — the score bands below are indicative, not official. Official cutoffs are published at upsc.gov.in.
AI-curated from historic cutoff patterns. Indicative, not official. Always verify with the latest official notification.
Category-wise expected cutoff (indicative)
| Category | Expected cutoff (indicative) |
|---|---|
| General | 95–105 marks (47.5–52.5%) |
| EWS | 90–100 marks (45–50%) |
| OBC | 88–98 marks (44–49%) |
| SC | 80–90 marks (40–45%) |
| ST | 75–85 marks (37.5–42.5%) |
| PwD | 70–80 marks (35–40%) |
- The General-to-OBC gap typically ranges 6–8 marks, while General-to-SC/ST gaps widen to 15–20 marks depending on paper difficulty and vacancy distribution.
- Year-to-year cutoff shifts are driven by question paper difficulty (especially CSAT qualifying threshold impact), number of vacancies announced, and normalization effects when multiple exam sessions occur.
- These are raw score estimates; actual cutoffs fluctuate ±3–5 marks based on annual variables, and UPSC applies its own difficulty-adjustment methodology before declaring final qualifying marks.
What does your score in UPSC Civil Services Examination — Prelims actually get you? These bands map a mock or exam percentage to the rank window and the outcomes that score range has typically achieved.
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Near-perfect Prelims score
95–100%
- Extraordinary score (~190+ marks out of 200)
- Demonstrates exceptional preparation and accuracy
- Top 500 Prelims performance
- Strong contender for top 10-50 final ranks with matching Mains + Interview
- IAS with choice cadre allocation potential (Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore zones)
- Should maintain momentum for 480+ Mains score and 180+ Interview score
Outstanding — Top ranker potential
85–95%
- Exceptional Prelims performance (~170-190 marks)
- Likely among top 1000-2000 in Prelims
- Strong foundation for top 100 final ranks if Mains is equally strong
- IAS allocation highly probable with consistent Mains + Interview
- Premium service cadres within reach: IAS (cadres like AGMUT, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra)
- Should target 450+ in Mains and 170+ in Interview for top 50 ranks
Top tier — Mains contender
75–85%
- Excellent Prelims score (~150-170 marks)
- Strong candidate for final merit list if Mains performance matches
- Demonstrates comprehensive preparation and analytical ability
- Focus on: Interview preparation, Mains answer writing quality, Optional scoring strategy
- Potential for services like IAS, IPS, IFS with good Mains + Interview
- Target top 100-500 ranks in final merit
Strong Prelims performance
65–75%
- Well above cut-off, confident Mains qualification
- Score range: approximately 130-150 marks out of 200
- Demonstrates strong conceptual clarity and current affairs knowledge
- Good foundation for Mains preparation
- Focus on Mains answer writing, Ethics case studies, and Optional depth
- Target: Final merit list (approximately top 800-1000 ranks overall)
Safe Prelims qualification zone
50–65%
- Comfortable qualification for Mains across most categories
- General category: typically safe if scoring ~100-130 marks (50-65%)
- Can focus preparation energy on Mains and Optional subjects
- Should begin intensive Essay, GS Mains, and Optional preparation
- Approximately 10,000-15,000 candidates qualify annually for Mains
Borderline — Reserved categories
33–50%
- May qualify if belonging to SC/ST/OBC categories (cut-offs typically 5-15% lower than General)
- SC cut-off historically around 74-82 marks, ST around 72-80 marks
- Borderline for OBC category (typically 78-88 marks)
- Marginal for General category — need significant improvement
- Strong revision and mock test strategy needed
Below cut-off range
0–33%
- Unlikely to qualify for Mains this cycle
- Score typically below General category cut-off (historically ~83-98 marks out of 200)
- Focus on foundational concepts and NCERT strengthening
- Consider targeted preparation in weak areas for next attempt
Where would your score land?
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